Word Origin & History

guard early 15c., "one who keeps watch," from M.Fr. garde "guardian, warden, keeper," from garder "to guard," from O.Fr. guarder (corresponding to O.N.Fr. warder, see gu-), from Frank. *wardon, from P.Gmc. *wardo- (see ward (v.)). Abstract or collective sense of "a keeping, a custody" (as in bodyguard) is from early 15c. Sword-play and boxing sense is from 1590s. The verb is first recorded 1580s, from the noun. Guarded "reserved and cautious in speech, behavior, etc." is from 1728. Guardian (early 14c.) is from Anglo-Fr. gardein, from O.Fr. gardien, earlier guarden, from Frankish *warding-.

Example Sentences for guarded

“It ought to be guarded,” insisted the Messenger129 tranquilly.

He hurried across the room and guarded the telephone with outspread arms.

I tell you, we would be in a tight place if they'd guarded this approach at all.

He did not even know where his friend was imprisoned, or how he was guarded.

The windows were guarded with shutters of no great strength.

This was guarded against by a contrivance as ingenious as it was simple.

None of the American horses cared for it; their hay and grain had to be stacked up along the wharf and guarded.

At the door of the mansion Denis was brought forward, guarded.

Pepe, guarded by two soldiers, was seated at the end of the carriage, and looked anything but cheerful under such surveillance.

While he was dancing, soldiers with their Remingtons guarded the door.